Controlling device for hoists



July 4, 1950 Filed July 26, 1946 as a? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 54 3a 4s 5 49 31 o o 51 o a l O H u 2 1 0 O 0 I 93 H 155 7 l 55 46 f 7 111 115 f o 10 10% 114119 109 O P5105 1 84 117 88 66 1 1105 1 3 5 NVEQNTO aoz-do mz f'zvre' cza H\ S ATTORNEY.

July 4, 1950 McCLAY 2,513,812

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR HOISTS Filed July 26,, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO GordonJZ'Mc Flay HI 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 4, 1950 NlTE D ATES PATENT O F-FICE I CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR HOISTS Gordon F.- McGlay', Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, -.;assignor to Ingersoll-Rand Company, New York, N; Y'.,- a. corporation of New Jersey "-App'licationJuly 26, 1946, Serial No. 686,399

7 Claims.

"This invention relates to h-oi-stsgandSmore: particularly to a controlling device for hoists equipped with clutch means for connecting :the

hoist drum to the: driver.

It :istan object ofzthe invention toxatallttinres :assu-re engagement of either: the-clutch or the I brake with :the drum.

sA-nother; .object is to. enable :the drum engaging and releasingmovements of the clutch=and :brake members to 1 be controlled by: a, common controlling device.

A moref'specific object of the invention. is to prevent/the unclut'ching one hoistldrum luntil part pointed out hereinafter.

111 the drawings accompanying "this specification and in which similar reference numerals 'refer to similarparts:

Figure 1 is "a side elevation-of a hoistingmech- .anism positioned at the mouth of a mine shaft,

Figure 2 is a-perspective view of a" hoist equipped with ,-co'ntrolling device constructed in :accordance with the practice ofthe' invention,

Figure 3 -'isa perspective view, partly broken :away, of the controlling device; and

"Figure i is a transverse view takenthrou'gh Figure 3 on the line 4-4.

Referring to the drawings, and at'first more particularlyto Figure 1, 'lllindicates a mine shaft the mouth of which isspannedbya'fra'm'e 2| supporting a sheave 22 for a 'cable 23 having an end attached to a cage 24 and being wound upon the drum. 25 'of' a, hoist 26.

-The drum 25 is capable of-freerotation upon a shaft 21 driven *by a'motor:28- and-supported by bearing pedestals 29; andthe driving connection between the shaft '21" and thedrum 25 is effectedby a, clutching device 30 having shoes 3| for frictional engagement "with {an -inter'nal cylindrical surface 32 in the end or thef'drum '25. lhe shoes (Hare-supported by links 3'3that are pivotally connectedto the shoes and to a clutch collar 34' slidably interlocked with'the shaft, and the collar 34'is =actuatedwaxia1lyof the shaft 21, for imparting drum engaging and-re- -leasingmovement t'o the=clutch shoes; by-an engine -35 supported-=by =one= of the bearing ped estals 29. 'The engine 25 comprisesa=cylinder 36 {having a piston"chamber- 31 and a piston"38 therein operatively: connected to the clutch col1ar -3'4.

The-pistomn of the d-ifierential -=type-having alarge pressure surface 39 at,- one 'fendyand; an opposed'pressure surface 40 of smaller area than the ?-pressure surface 39.

On ;the, lattergend of the pistonis a stem' ll that sl-idesathrough the end. of the cylinder; '36 andhas' a bore 421017171518 reception of I a rod 43 an end Ofl which is con- I nected pivotally to the cylinder-by a pin 44. q The opposite end of the rod is connected-in like. mans: ner to an 7 arm 45 t keyed to a shaft :46 interlocked .WithalcIutch yoke 41 that 'reciprocatesythe;.col-

lax-184.

The-brakingzimechanism fora-the, drum 25 may also be of awell known type and .incIudesaJpair :i'oi 'brakeshoesr48 arranged. at .oppositelsides of the drum 25 and. applied to andreleased from the; drum by a braking engine? 49 and suitable linkage indicated, in generaLabynifl. Theengine ill'9-is:of. the vertic'altype. Its cylinder: "51- is supported. by 'a :frame '52 that. rests-upon i ai-.base"-53 and contains a-piston 54 having a rod'x-55 that .extendsslidably through ahead 56. at thexlower end of-the cylinder. The rod 55 is connected to v a crossheadE'i slidable'in -the frame 52- and connected, by' means of a pivot pin 58, to a bar' 59 "of :the linkage '50. -'I-he pin- 58=also-supports a pair of arms'liil'that hang down along the frame #52 and have a cross-bar 8| attheir lower ends to support a plurality of weights that-tend I constantly to apply braking forceto the brake shoes.

Movement of the piston 54,--for imparting drum-releasing movement to thebrake shoes, is

effected by'mo'tive-fluid acting ag'ain'st the lower surface I53 of the piston. Such*motive'-fiuid; as

'for "example oil, is conveyed to "the *cylinder by The motive "fluid is drawn from'a reservoiri'tt bya pump Gland delivered to an-accumulator 68-having a discharge conduit 69; abranch fl of which is connected to the'cylinder 3'6 to subje'ct thepressure surface of the piston 38 constantly'to motive fluid.

The motive" fluid serving to lift the piston 54 ''-passes through the cylinder '36; andyis conveyed "therefrom byconduit ll leading to the valve 'mechanism 65;. The conduit 1 1 -is connected to arr intermediate portion of the cylinder 36' and is uncover'ed by the piston 38 only; when the said piston-reaches, or closely approacliesythe limiting-position to-Which it is actuatd-bythemotive fluid acting'against the pressure surface-4E. v

' The motive' fluid. that actuates "the piston 1 -33 in the opposite direction passes through the valve mechanism 85. It is conveyed thereto by a branch 12 of the conduit 69, and a conduit 13 leads from the valve mechanism 65 to the cylinder 38 to convey fluid to the pressure surface 39.

The valve cage 14 of the valve mechanism 65 has a valve chamber 15 that communicates with the conduits 1|, 64, 13 and 12 through ports 16, I1, 18 and 19, respectively. These ports are ar ranged in the order named from the left hand end of the valve cage 14, as shown in Figure 3,

and between the ports 11 and 18 is a port 80 that communicates, through a chamber 8| in the lower portion of the valve cage 14, witha discharge port 82 opening into a recess 83' that has an outlet conduit 84 leading to the reservoir 88.

The ends of the valve chamber 15 are con-,

stantly open to the atmosphere, through vents 85,

to assure free movement of a valve 86 controlling the ports of the valve chamber. The valve 86 is of the spool type. It is reciprocated through the instrumentalityof suitable linkage actuated by a lever 81, located on the operators platform 88,

and has a pair of end heads 89 and 90 and a flange 9| between and of the same diameter as the heads and connected thereto by stems 92. The head 89 controls the port 16 andalso controls communication between the port 16 and the port 11, the flange 9| controls the flow of fluid from the ports 11 and 18 to the port 80, and the head 90 controls the port 19 andalso controls communication between said port 19 and the port 18.

on the valve head 89 is a stem 93 that projects from the cage 14 and is interlocked with a yoke 94 on the free end of an'arm 95 of 'a bell crank 96 pivoted at its angle upon a pin 91 supported by the valve cage. The free end of the other arm 98 of the bell crank is pivoted to an end of a link 99, and a pivot pin I connects the link 99 to an end of a link IOI pivoted to an arm of a rocker I02. The rocker I02 is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a pin I03 supported by a bearing I04,

and the opposite arm of the rocker is pivoted to v a rod I that is connected, for pivotal movement,

to an arm I06 on the lower end of the lever 81 which is pivoted, upon a suitable support, for

swinging movement to its controlling positions. These positions, designated A, B, C and D, are respectively the position to which the lever .81 is moved for releasing the brake, for moving the clutch into engagement with the drum, for applying the brake and to disengage the clutch from the drum. 3 v

During the normal operation of the hoist, the

lever 81 is shifted to the positions indicated by nected to an extension I09 on the valve cage, and

on the end of thebar adjacent the link I01 is a tooth I I0 for engagement'with a hook III of a latch H2. The latch I I2 is pivoted interme-. diate its ends, for free swinging movement, upon a pin I I 3 supported by an arm I I4 on the valve cage, and the hook end of the latch is heavier than the opposed end II5 to maintain the hook III interlocked with the tooth IIO. A rod I16 holds the tooth I I0 against the hook I I I. This rod is slid able in the valve cage and has a head 1 that bears against an intermediate portion of the bar I08 and is pressed, thereagainst by a compression spring II8 encircling the rod I I6 and seating against the valve cage 14.

The latch I I2 and the bar I08 are normally interlocked witheach other, in the manner de scribed, and the bar is released only in the event of the over-winding 0r over-speeding of the drum. The means efiecting the disengaging movement of the latch comprises a solenoid II 9 placed above the arm I I5 of the latch in such relation therewith that when thesolenoid is energized a slight I20 and the arm II5.

In the circuit I2I conveying electrical current tothe solenoid is a limit switch I22 that is so positioned on the frame 2| that it will be opened by the cage 24 whenever the cage is lifted above its normal stopping position. The circuit I2I- is further provided with a switch I 23, similar to the switch I22, for opening the circuit I2I in the event that the hoist drum exceeds a certain predetermined speed. The switch I23 is tripped, for opening the circuit I2I, by the controller I24 of the hoist, and is so positioned that when the spring bar I25 opposing the fly-weights I26 of the controller is depressed to a predetermined point it will come into contact with and open the switch I23. I

The hoist controller may be of any suitable and well known type and, in addition to its normal functions, serves to impart movement to a wedgeshaped cam I21 that controls the degree of endwise movement of the rod I I 8 when the latch I I2 is disengaged from the bar I88. The cam I21 slides upon an outer end surface I28 of the valve cage 14 and has a stem I29 atits narrow end extending upwardly and 'pivotally connected to an end of a rocker I30 pivoted on the base of the controller I24. The, rocker is actuated, in a well known manner,,by a limit-cam I3I of the controller in such wise that when the cage 24 appreaches or reaches the end of its travel the cam I21 will be moved upwardly to bring its wide end into, the transverse plane of the rod H6.

The rod I I6 extends through the cam and carries a pin I32 having rollers I33 thereon for engagement with the cam, and on the portion of the rod II8 lying within the chamber BI is a valve flange I34 to control the flow of fluid from the chamber 8| to the port 82.

In the operation of the device, whenever it is intended to establish a driving connection between the drum and the driver, the lever 81 is placed in the controlling position A. The valve 86 will then occupy a position wherein the flange 9| blocks oiT communication between the ports 11 and 80 and the port 18is uncovered by the head 89. some of the motive fluid acting against the pressure surface to hold the piston 38 in position to press the clutch shoes againstthe surface 32 of the drum then flows from the piston chamber 31 through the conduit 1|, the valve chamber 15 and the conduit 64 into the cylinder 5| and raises the piston 54. This movement of the piston, transmitted through the'bar 59 and the linkage 50, releases the braking pressure from the shoes 3I and the drum is then free to rotate with the driver.

v When thecage 24 has. been moved 'to a desired position the lever 81;is moved to the controlling position, C. The valve 86,:wil1 then occupy ra positionwherein the head, overlies the port 15 eager-agate 'ber 31 to theavalveigchamber; and ithe'spmati hwill be; in communication withttheiportitlflithrough:the space betweenthe-head 89 andaherflangei 9 l r-The motive fluid will then escape from thewylinder a5! through the conduit" 84; :the. valve-chamber: I 5 and 1 the chamber r81, thence.;:+pass throughsthe port 8'2, the recess:- 83.:,-and the: conduit-Atrium the reservoir 66'. iThe rcrjosshead +51 will .ithen descend r and; causes the linkage 50- .-to.11 press ,1the brake shoes '48 against. the dnumri After the brake :has' been lthusxa lieds.torzthe drum the lever- '8l-isashiftedrtorthea positionfdesignated D. The valve 8,6,: as: viewed inzIFieQur-eaB,

Will then. occupy a ,-positi'on/.-wherein ther space;

between the head 90-: andwtheuflange 9h -aflords communication betweenl thei-pontsi-l 8 and Brand the head 89 will-blank-ofiethe 11013171162: Motive fluidthenflows throughthe conduitz'll; the ports 19 and. 18 and through-thewonduit.13winto-tha,

piston chamber 31 against,thee-pressure: surface 39. Inasmuch as saidupressuresurface 39-is of larger areathan the:opposedasurfacea40. the piston 38 will be hifted toward thetrightl-hand clutch shoes 3 I out ofengagement with thedrum.

The drum 25 will then be-aheldrimmovableby the brake shoes, and when it isintendedrto'move the cage to another;stationthedevere81. is moved to the position. designated B. r- -T-he valve is thereby placed inaposition ewhere-the, head 89 will blank-off the port 16randtthespace-between the flange 9| and-the mead-.590; will affordccommunication between the;portswand 80 The motive fluid acting against thepressure surface munication with-each..other= through the space 1 between the head 89 and the flange 9| and motive fluid will flow from. the':p iston::chamber 3'! into thecylinder 51 and lift the piston 54 for releasin the-brake from the drum.

These operations are repeated, as required, to move the cage""from;-'place-J1 tojz'place/ along the shaft 20, and whenever thespeed of the hoist exceeds a certain predetermined'rate the-weights I26 of .the controller I24 willcause theespring rod I25 to trip'the switch,.l2'3i and opens-the; cir-,

cuit l2! of the solenoid IISQL'I-he armatureilZO will then dropdown upon thearm llfirand-rock the hook] I l of the latch outoflengagementwith the claw H0 and the spring 8 will shift the rod H6 toward the right until the rollers I33 seat against the cam I21.

This movement of the rod H6, transmitted through the links I01 and 99 and the bell crank 96, will move the valve 86 leftward to a position Where the head 89 blanks off the port 16 and the space between the head 89 and the flange 9i affords communication between the ports 11 and 80. The fluid will then escape from the cylinder 51 through these channels to the reservoir 613, and the piston of the braking engine 49 will descend and press the brake shoes against the drum 25.

The rate at which the braking force is then applied to the drum will depend upon the relation of the valve I34 with respect to the port 82 :andzrof course; also: upom theeadiustment i of? (the atheist? controller for; changing ;'the position: of. the

cam-11 21. example while thetcager'z Msmov- *ing-.1-throngh:an intermediate portion ,of-its'range of:. travel the cam: I 2 I; will be? in-sthe. position it -.normally;, occupies. and will permit-the valve, 434

to closely :-,approach -the :port' 82izand exert; a

under 1 these; circumstances, descend at a comparativelyslow-rate and the brake setting twill take place-rgraduallyl But the cage reaches: a

position. for which the hoist controller. I 24 has been adjusted to act, the limit-cam [3i thereof v:will engageand tilt the rocker. Iand move the :cam I21; upwardly. Inthis-way, the cam ,will

retractetherod l-lfisand the valve'lM/and in- -creasesthes-flow area between thevalve'IM-and itakeiplacermore rapidly.

This-automaticzshiftingof the valve 816., inde- ;pendently: of the lever 81, for. applying-the brakes .to the;drum-will,of course, also take .placewhen end of the piston chamber :31dand moveithe place atthe mouth of; the shaft 20. 1 In such event, 1 the-cage will engageiand open-the switch I 22,.to

the -,cage 2.4-is lifted; beyond itsnormal stopping 1 deenergize-the-solenoid H 9-, and thearmature I28 .willdrop: and tripthe latch. ll 2. to .permit the brake.

spring H 8: to shiftithei valve 86 eforcsettinglthe owing to the ,fact thatboth. thebrake engine and'the clutch engine are controlledlby awsingle controlling device, there is, a positive interlock between the. clutch and r the brake that i will preclude the chances of releasing both from ,lthe drum-at-.-the.-same time.

Iclaim: 1.,A controllingldevice for hoists; having :a

drum,. a drivertherefor and clutch vand brake .membersior the drum, said controlling device comprising pressure responsiveactuatorslfor the members, a valve for; controlling. the motive fluid 1' supplyv to both actuators-tier causingsaidactuators to impart drum-engaging and releasing movement-tumble members, a manually operable memberi for normally shifting. the. Valve to its various, controlling positions, andmeans v.for shifting the. valve independently ofithemanually operable member to cause ionesactuator toimpart drum-engaging movementto 'thebrake,

2.: A- controlling device for hoists having: a

-drum, a-; driver therefor and clutch and rbrake Hmembersv forcthe.v drum, said. controlling device comprising-pressure responsive actuators -forthe Y members, ;a-valve.- for controlling; the motive:- fluid supply to both actuators for causing said actuators to impart drum-engaging and releasing movement to the members, a manually operable member for normally shifting the valve to its various controlling positions, spring-pressed means for shifting the valve independently of the manually operable member to cause one actuator to impart drum-engaging movement to the brake, a latch for holding the spring-pressed member normally inoperative, and a solenoid acting when de-energized to release the latch from the spring-pressed member.

3. A controlling device for hoists having a drum, a driver therefor and clutch and brake members for the drum, said controlling device comprising pressure responsive actuators for the members, a valve for controlling the motive fluid sup 1yto both actuators for causing said-actuators to impart'drum-engaging and releasing movement to the members, a manually operable member for normally shifting the valve to its various controlling -positions, spring-pressed means for shifting the valve independently of the manually operable member to cause one actuator to impart drum-engaging'movement to the brake, a latch for holding the spring-pressed member normally inoperative, a solenoid for releasing the latch from the spring-pressed member,-and switch means for controlling the energization' of the's'olenoid acting in response-to the speed of the hoist. I

4.A controlling device for hoists having a drum,'a drivertherefor and clutch and brake members for the drum, said controlling device comprising'pressure responsive actuators for the clutch andbrake members,' a valveior the supply of m'otivefluid to the actuators said' valve having extreme and intermediate controlling positions, ports and passages at said' intermediate position to conduct motive fluid to an actuator to engage the clutch and brake members with the drum, other ports and passages at one extreme controlling 'position'to conduct motive fluid to an actuator to disengage the brake members from the drum, still other ports and passages at the other extreme controlling position to conduct motive fluid to an actuator to disengage the clutch members from the drum, and manually controlled meansfor shifting the valve to the different controlling positions.

5. A controlling'device for hoists having a drum, a driver therefor and clutch and brake members for the drum, said controlling device comprising pressure responsive actuators for the clutch and brake members, a valve casing having a chamber, ports in the valve casing, conduits connecting the chamber with the actuators through the ports in the valve casing, a manually operable valve in the chamber said valve having extreme and intermediate controlling positions, and passageways in the valve for controlling the flow of motive fluid through the ports and passages to engage the clutch'and brake members with the drum at the intermediate valve position andto cause disengagement of the brake members from the drum at one extreme valve position and disengagement ofthe clutch members from the drum at the other extreme valve position. I

6. A'controlling device for hoists having a drum, a driver therefor and'clutch and brake members for the drum, said controlling device comprising pressure responsive actuators for the clutch and brake members, means for constantly urging the actuators to engage said members 8 with the drum, a valvema'sing having-a chamber'therein, 'port's in-thewalve casing, conduits connecting :the -chamber 'with' the actuators through the iportsin the valve'casing, a manually o-perabl'e' valve inthe chamber for the ports having extreme and intermediate controlling positionsy and passageways in thevalve adapted to uncover p'orts and passages to communicate, at

one extreme controlling position, motive fluid to the actuators to efiect disengagement of the brake members from the'drum end, at the other extreme controlling position, disengagement of 'theclutch-members from the drum and to un- 1 cover other ports and passages at-the intermediate controlling position to exhaust the motive fluid from the actuators and allow said engaging means to efiectengagementof the clutch and brake members withthe drum.

7. A controlling "device for hoists having a drum, a driver therefor and clutch and brake members on the-drum,' -said controlling device comprising pressure-responsive actuators for the clutch and-brake members, means for constantly urging the actuators to engage said members with the drum, a valve casing having a chamber, ports in the casing for the chamber, conduits connecting the ports to the actuators for conveying motive fluid to and from the actuators, a reciprocable valve in the chamber, manually operable means for shifting the valve from one extreme controlling-position to another extreme controlling'position through a pair of intermediate controlling positions, and passageways in the valve to uncover and convey motive fluid to the brakeactuator conduit at one extreme controlling position to disengage the brake members from the drum and to uncover and convey motive 'fluidjto the clutch actuator conduit at the other extremecontrolling position to disengage the clutch members from the drum and to communicate the actuator conduits with a port in the casihgj-to'exhaust the motive fluid "from the actuatorsand allow said engaging means to'engage the members with the drum.

- 'GQRDONFRANCIS MCCLAY.

I REFERENCES CITED 'The followingre'ferences are of record in the 2 9 his p e t,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number j j Name I Date 934,816 Jollifie et a1. Sept. 21, 1909 "1,566,111 'Miller Dec. 15, 1925 2,178,280 Hutchin's'et'al. Oct. 31, 1939 2,201,878 Atkins May 21 1940 "2,279,597 1942 

